Bikers revving up for fuel demo

MORE than 2,000 bikers plan to bring chaos to Manchester's busiest stretch of motorway with a new protest at the rising cost of fuel. The bikers hope to echo a similar demo last year, which saw about 1,500 motorcycles stage a go-slow on the M62 to hit out at spiralling costs of filling up at petrol stations.

MORE than 2,000 bikers plan to bring chaos to Manchester's busiest stretch of motorway with a new protest at the rising cost of fuel.

The bikers hope to echo a similar demo last year, which saw about 1,500 motorcycles stage a go-slow on the M62 to hit out at spiralling costs of filling up at petrol stations. Last year's demonstration saw dozens of haulage, taxi firms and motorists join the bikers, causing huge delays to traffic.

Vehicles set off from Birch services, near Middleton, and headed into Manchester at a snail's pace, causing gridlock on city centre streets and the M62.

This year the bikers plan to stage the demo on Sunday, July 5, to minimise disruption to commuters. Protesters will meet at Birch services at 10am.

Within two hours of the demo being announced, more than 500 bikers had signed up to take part. Last year's event was organised in just eight days.

This year, with weeks to prepare and a website about the event about to go live, organisers expect many more bikers to take part.

Protest organiser `Triumph Man' said: "We wanted to make it a Sunday so it doesn't disrupt people on the roads because times are hard and we don't want to make it harder for them to get into work. Fuel prices are a big issue and the bikers want to make themselves heard about it. We want to stand up and be counted."

Motorists in Britain pay the highest fuel tax in Europe - 68p per litre of unleaded, compared with the equivalent of 35p in Ireland and 31p in Spain.

The protesters' website www.bikerfreestay.com is due to be up and running soon.